messy; confused; chaotic; complaining about various things
indicate reason; infers some protest
great antiquity; old-fashioned; long ago
to stuff into; to jam; to shorten; to move closer together; to reduce (spending); to conserve; to focus intently on
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
reproachful; resentful; spiteful
near; close; beside; vicinity; proximity; besides
dull; uninteresting; insignificant; unimportant; absurd; foolish
I don't know ...; how about ...?; I wonder; what about ..?
familiar; well-known; regular (e.g. customer); old stand-by
delivery (of a package, goods, etc.)
letter; missive; note; mail
comfort; ease; easy; simple; (economically) comfortable; raku pottery
that; the matter in question
on the occasion of; at the time of
Federal Bureau of Investigation; FBI
special; particular; peculiar; unique
narrow; confined; small; limited; narrow-minded; confining
extent; scope; sphere; range; span
person in charge (of an area of work); person responsible; contact (person)
what with this and that; for a number of reasons
to all appearances; no matter how you look at it
the same generation; coeval
child's face; childlike face; boyish face; baby face
small; little; slight; below average (in degree, amount, etc.); low (e.g. sound); soft (e.g. voice)
postcard; memo; note; card
always; constantly; frequently; often; nonstop
oh, OK; oh, I see; oh, yeah?; hmm
of uncertain meaning; ambiguous; cryptic; nonsensical; incomprehensible; perplexing
trouble; troubles; worry; distress; sorrows; anguish
gradually; by degrees; little by little; steps; stairs; staircase
direct; immediate; personal; firsthand
to open; to undo; to bloom; to unfold; to open (for business, e.g. in the morning); to be wide (gap, etc.); to widen
religious organization; religious organisation
help; rescue; salvation; solace; (religious) salvation; (Christian) grace
until now; so far; up to the present
center; centre; middle; -centered; -centred; -focused
so what!; who gives a damn?
distortion; stretch; strained interpretation; technicality; casuistry; sophistry
putting one's life on the line; staking one's life (on); risking one's life; life and death situation